State herp calendar
Reptiles and Amphibians of Louisiana
Louisiana is bayous, marsh, and pine and hardwood forest. Green Anoles and American Alligators are the most-reported herps. Banded Watersnakes and Western Ribbon Snakes are common along the water. Things stay active all year, and March is the busiest month. The Northern Cottonmouth and Eastern Copperhead live here.
60 species5 ecoregions3 venomous
Search entire stateSpecies out across Louisiana, by group and month
| Group | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snakes | 11 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 |
| Lizards | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 |
| Turtles | 5 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 |
| Frogs and Toads | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
| Salamanders | 6 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
Numbers = species active that month (at peak or just starting / winding down).
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Ecoregions of Louisiana
Seasons shift a lot between Louisiana's ecoregions. Pick the one nearest you for a 12-month calendar of what's out.
Mississippi Alluvial Plain
46 speciesRiver bottoms and bayous with alligators, watersnakes and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Piney Woods and Loess Hills
61 speciesPine forest and bottomlands with anoles, treefrogs, box turtles and cottonmouths.
View calendar →Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes
83 speciesCoastal marsh and prairie with alligators, anoles and a long snake list.
View calendar →Southern Coastal Plain
85 speciesFlorida and Georgia lowlands with alligators, anoles and treefrogs all year.
View calendar →Southeastern Plains
86 speciesLongleaf pine, swamps and farmland with the biggest species list on the site.
View calendar →Venomous here: Eastern Copperhead, Northern Cottonmouth, Timber Rattlesnake. Don't handle any snake you can't identify.
About Louisiana
When are reptiles and amphibians most active in Louisiana?
March is the busiest month in Louisiana, with 49 species at peak activity. At least half of the area's species are active all year.
What reptiles and amphibians live in Louisiana?
60 species have enough iNaturalist records to show here: 19 snakes, 16 frogs and toads, 9 lizards, 8 turtles, 7 salamanders, and 1 alligator. The most-reported are the Green Anole, American Alligator, and Pond Slider.
Are there venomous snakes in Louisiana?
Yes. The Northern Cottonmouth, Eastern Copperhead, and Timber Rattlesnake live here. Don't handle them.
Which reptiles and amphibians in Louisiana are introduced?
The Brown Anole, Mediterranean House Gecko, Spotted House Gecko, and Greenhouse Frog are not native here.
Where does this data come from?
Activity calendars are built from iNaturalist research-grade observations (downloaded through GBIF, September 2026), corrected for how many people are out observing each month. Rare and protected species are left off on purpose.